יביאו לבוש מלכות אשר לבש בו המלך וסוס…

1“Let them bring royal apparel that the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden upon, and on whose head a royal crown has been set.”

Now, the meaning of “royal apparel” is the meaning of what is written, “G‑d reigns; He has clothed Himself in majesty”: He clothed Himself in a garment of majesty in order to be King of the world.

2And “the horse that the king has ridden upon” is the meaning of what is written concerning the Giving of the Torah, “When You ride upon Your horses, Your chariots are salvation.”

And “on whose head a royal crown has been set” is the meaning of what is written, “with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding”: this is the Giving of the Torah.

For all the levels that were revealed at the Giving of the Torah were also revealed on Purim, in the days of Mordechai, as it is said, “And the Jews accepted that which they had begun to do,”

for at the Giving of the Torah, when Israel said, “We will do and we will hear,” they “began to do”: it was only a beginning; and in the days of Mordechai came the completion of the acceptance.

3The explanation of these matters will be understood by first explaining the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory: “The goal of wisdom is teshuvah (return) and good deeds, as it is said, ‘The beginning of wisdom is the fear of G‑d; a good understanding to all who do them’: ‘to those who learn them’ is not said,” etc.

And “one who learns not in order to do, it would have been better for him had his afterbirth been turned over upon his face,” because the main thing is the deed. That is, in the case of a mitzvah that cannot be done by others.

But concerning a mitzvah that can be done by others, our Sages, of blessed memory, said on the verse, “And all desirable things cannot compare to her”: even the desires of Heaven; for all the mitzvos are not equal even to a word,

one of the words of Torah. For there is a level of superior quality in words of Torah over the fulfillment of the mitzvos, and there is a superior quality in the fulfillment of the mitzvos over words of Torah.

4Let us now explain the aspect and superior quality that the fulfillment of mitzvos has over words of Torah, along the lines of the saying “The goal of wisdom…,” mentioned above, and “One who learns not in order to do…,” etc.

The explanation is this. Chochmah (wisdom) is the beginning of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus). And hishtalshelus is like a chain (shalsheles) of many rings linked one to another. So Chochmah is in the category of hishtalshelus, for from it the emotive attributes (middos) descended, link by link.

5And Chochmah (wisdom) itself is clothed within them, and the emotive attributes (middos) are clothed in thought, and thought in speech and action. And although “Chochmah is found from ayin (nothingness),”

and it is the level of source and root of the entire chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), nevertheless, since it is called the beginning of revelation, it has a second and a third; for even the first is counted in the count, so that one counts a second and a third after it.

Therefore Avraham, whose attribute was the attribute of Chesed (kindness), is called “a limb of mah” (eiver mah), for he is at the level of a limb and vessel for the clothing of the level of Chochmah, “the power of mah” (koach mah); for Chochmah itself is what is clothed within the emotive attributes. And therefore it is written, “And Chochmah is found from ayin,” and not [that it is] true ayin.

6And Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, who was at the level of “and what (mah) are we,” that is, at the level of true ayin (nothingness), said, “Heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue am I”: heavy of mouth with regard to the Oral Torah, and heavy of tongue in the Written Torah. For the rank of his soul was above the level of the Torah, for the Torah comes forth from Chochmah (wisdom),

which is at the level of “beginning”; and the clothing of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, within it is at the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), according to the order of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), in which it is clothed in the level of “worlds,” in each world according to its rank.

But the radiance and drawing down of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, in the deed of the physical mitzvos, terumos and tithes, etc., is at the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), not by way of gradation and hishtalshelus, but by way of a leap.

As it is written, “The voice of my beloved knocks,” etc., “leaping over the mountains,” etc. For that radiance is not actually clothed in the physical things with which the mitzvos are done, as Chochmah is clothed in the emotive attributes (middos) and the attributes in thought, etc.; rather, it is the level of a mere radiance.

7The explanation is this. If the drawing down of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) that is within the worlds were only by way of extension and clothing, at the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), in the order of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), by way of cause and effect, the created beings could not have come to be from nothing to something at all;

rather, they would be nullified in their source and root. And even the coming into being of the level of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), to be “wise, but not with a known wisdom”: nevertheless, since it is called by the name Chochmah, it is the level of “something” (davar mah), to the point that it is designated by a name of its own,

and this could not have come from the Infinite Light, blessed be He, for as its name is, so is it: it has no end, as mentioned above; rather, it would have been included in its source and root,

like the inclusion of the emotive attributes (middos) in the intellect, by way of analogy. For the emotive attributes were born and came into being from the intellect that gives birth to them, and they were certainly included in the intellect first, before they were born and came into being as felt attributes in their own right;

but while they are still included in the intellect, they are not designated by the name “attributes” at all, only after they have been born and revealed to be an attribute in its own right.

8So too, the level of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah) is not designated by the name Chochmah except after its emergence from concealment into revelation. And this emergence from concealment into revelation is not in the manner of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus); rather, “Chochmah is found from ayin (nothingness)”: from the level of true ayin, by way of a find.

9That is, [it comes] from the radiance of the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). And all the more so for there to be a coming into being of physicality from nothing to something; for the coming into being of physical things from spiritual ones is not by way of a chain of descent (hishtalshelus) of cause and effect, since there is no comparison at all between spirituality and physicality.

For [the fact] that the soul of the animals is drawn from the level of “the face of an ox” in the Chariot, and [that of] the birds from “the face of an eagle,”

10and the animal soul in man, etc., this refers to the level of the soul, which is the spiritual [element] and life-force; but the physical body of man and beast, wild animals and birds did not come into being from spirituality at all.

Rather, the coming into being of the physical is from the radiance of the level of the very Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin); for He, may He be blessed, is omnipotent, and before Him “darkness is as light,” and spirituality and physicality are equal before Him. From there a radiance and drawing down is drawn

to bring about the level of “something” (yesh) and entity in the chain of descent of the worlds, until even a physical “something” of the materiality of this world comes into being. And the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds, shines and draws life-force to all of them equally, at the level of surrounding and encompassing them from above.

11Therefore creation is called “from nothing to something.” For since it was not in the manner of the chain of descent (hishtalshelus), by way of cause and effect, but by way of a leap, that radiance is not actually clothed within the worlds, but is a mere radiance; and so this is truly something from nothing.

12Therefore they said, “The goal of wisdom is teshuvah (return) and good deeds,” etc. For Chochmah (wisdom) is in the category of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), except that it is counted first,

since it is the beginning and source of them all. Nevertheless, since it is called “beginning,” it is part of the count, and it is fitting to count after it a second and a third, etc. Whereas teshuvah and good deeds are the drawing down of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin).

13And although it is not within the bounds of “all worlds,” and nothing is drawn but a mere radiance, the level of true ayin (nothingness), nevertheless, since its radiance

and drawing down are the very Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), it is of a level and rank higher than the drawing down of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that is drawn through the chain of descent (hishtalshelus), by way of cause and effect, which is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin).

But not all deeds are equal; only good deeds specifically, which are things with which the mitzvos are done, which are the Supernal Will, blessed be He: that there be tzitzis of wool and parchment for tefillin. And in them the Infinite Light, blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds, shines in actual revelation, without any concealment of the Face or garment.

Whereas all other deeds, which are not for G‑d: although the Infinite Light, blessed be He, is the light that encompasses all worlds and surrounds all

the worlds equally, and is what brings into being the “something” (yesh) and [the World of] Asiyah (Action), something from nothing, nevertheless, in their case there is a garment and a concealment of the Face that covers and hides the light of G‑d and His holiness, and they appear as a “something” and a thing separate in its own right.

Whereas the things with which the mitzvos are done, which are His will, may He be blessed, are nullified to the light of G‑d and His holiness, and the Infinite Light is revealed in them without concealment of the Face or garment, even though they are clothed in physical things.

Now, since there is in them a revelation of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds and surrounds them all equally, then whatever

is lower and lower in rank, and especially the lowest rank, which is in physical Asiyah, has in it a greater revelation of the radiance of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds, from which the “something” is made, as mentioned above.

14Now, it is of this radiance and drawing down from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), which is only a mere radiance, that it is said, “G‑d reigns; He has clothed Himself in majesty.”

The explanation is as in the saying, “Unique One, Life of the worlds, King,” etc.: that He, may He be blessed, is unique and singular; He is alone, as before the world was created, etc.

15And as it is written, “You are G‑d, You alone,” etc. And this is the difference between the meaning and explanation of the word echad (one) and the meaning and explanation of the word yachid (unique). For the word echad indicates the drawing down of His unity, may He be blessed,

which is drawn into the seven heavens and the earth and the four directions of the world, so that they are nullified and included in His supernal unity, may He be blessed, in a state of actual self-nullification (bittul) and inclusion, and do not occupy space and [are not] a “something” and a separate thing, etc.

Whereas the level of yachid indicates His true unity, may He be blessed, before it is drawn into the worlds: that He alone is. And therefore, after the creation of the worlds, “there is none else besides Him” is written, for all before Him is truly considered as nothing;

but that He is drawn to be “Life of the worlds” is only the level of “King,” the level of Malchus (sovereignty), “a kingship over all worlds.” That is, like a king who rules over a country, by way of analogy, whose essence and being are not grasped and spread through the whole country,

but only his name, that he is called king over them; and the glory of his kingship and the splendor of his greatness are what spread through his country, and from this they accept the yoke of his kingship and his rule over them. So too, this drawing down from the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), for the existence, life-force and coming into being of something from nothing, is at the level of the spreading forth of His kingship and His exaltation, may He be blessed.

For because He is “the King Who alone is raised on high from of old, and is exalted since days of old,” from this is drawn the life-force and the coming into being of all the created beings as something from nothing; that is, from the level of exaltation, which is the radiance of true ayin (nothingness).

16And this is [the meaning of] “For He alone is on high and holy, works mighty deeds,” etc., “to the King, the living and enduring G‑d, high and exalted,” etc.

And this is “G‑d reigns; He has clothed Himself in majesty”: He clothed Himself in the attribute of majesty and exaltation in order to be at the level of King over the world. For this majesty and exaltation is what shines and spreads forth so that the worlds come to be from nothing to something, and it is the cause of the existence of the physical “something.”

And this is “The world also is established, that it cannot be moved”: in order for there to be a physical world, He clothed Himself in the attribute of majesty, to draw down the level of His kingship, may He be blessed, from which the existence of the physical “something” is drawn, as mentioned above.

17And this is “Let them bring royal apparel,” etc.: it is the level of the majesty and exaltation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He. And “let them bring” is written, for the level of majesty and exaltation, to draw down the level of His kingship, may He be blessed, depends on an arousal from below (isarusa dilesata).

For since all before Him is considered as nothing, over whom would the term “kingship” apply and be fitting? Rather, it is because the Infinite Light, blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), will be drawn down and shine in actual revelation in the things with which the mitzvos are done, which are themselves His will,

may He be blessed. From there the very Infinite Light, blessed be He, will shine and be revealed openly, without any concealment of the Face [or] garment, so that those physical things, which are placed under the dominion of kelipas nogah, are nullified to the light of G‑d and His holiness that is drawn and shines in them.

18And this drawing down depends on an arousal from below (isarusa dilesata), as it is written, “which man shall do them”: that man makes them into mitzvos, etc., as is explained elsewhere.

However, this is the drawing down of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, into the things with which the mitzvos are done, such as tzitzis of wool, tefillin of parchment, and esrog.

19And the like; for the coming into being, from nothing to something, of the physical [substance] in them is from the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), which surrounds them all equally.

However, the fulfillment of the mitzvos through the action of a person, which he does with his body and his means, such as putting on the tallis and tefillin, taking the esrog, giving charity and the like,

which is the drawing down of light and the revelation of life-force from the Infinite Light, blessed be He, into the very soul of the person: although this radiance and drawing down is also at the level of an encompassing [light] (makif), nevertheless this radiance is not drawn only from the Infinite Light, blessed be He, the light that encompasses all worlds and surrounds them all equally.

For that radiance is from the level of exaltation alone, [as in] “Who is exalted since days of old”; and exaltation, in itself, is the level of the withdrawal of the life-force from the Infinite Light, blessed be He, so that it should not shine and be revealed in a great and intense revelation, in order that the worlds not be nullified out of existence entirely.

Only after He is exalted above the level of “worlds,” in order to show His kingship and His exaltation over all the worlds, is the revelation of the radiance of His kingship and exaltation, may He be blessed, drawn forth; and this is the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, which surrounds them all equally.

But the radiance that is drawn upon a person through fulfilling the mitzvos in deed, in actual practice, is the level of the “royal crown” (keser malchus), and it is the level of “with the crown with which his mother crowned him.” And a crown that is made

for the head of the king, by way of analogy, is of precious stones, which are the level of the inanimate, the lowest of the four levels: inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking.

20And even so, they become a diadem and a crown on the head, for delight and for glory, etc. So too with the fulfillment of the mitzvos that a person does: although they are clothed in physical things, nevertheless this becomes the level of a crown, a diadem, above,

that is, the level of the Supernal delight, blessed be He: “It is gratification before Me that I spoke and My will was done.” And this delight and gratification are revealed in the soul of a person when it does one of all the mitzvos of G‑d; and Torah study is equal to them all,

for the halachos are “the ways of the world” (halichos olam), which are the drawing down of the very Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, into the world; and the Holy One, blessed be He, has in His world only the four cubits of halachah.

21Therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said (in the Jerusalem Talmud, Megillah): “The Prophets and the Writings are destined to be nullified, but the Megillah of Esther and the halachos are not destined to be nullified.” And the explanation: what they said, that the Prophets and the Writings are destined to be nullified, does not mean that they will be nullified entirely and there will be no revelation of the Prophets at all, G‑d forbid;

rather, the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, will be in so great and intense a revelation that the revelation of the Prophets will be nullified, as the radiance of the sun is nullified within the sun. For although the radiance certainly has great light in its source, far surpassing the light that shines upon the earth and those who dwell on it,

yet in its source it is nullified because of the light of the sun, which is the source of the light. So too, all the Prophets are destined to be nullified in the light of the revelation of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, which will be revealed in the Time to Come, [as it is written,] “and all shall see,” etc.

22Now, about this they said that the Megillah of Esther will not be nullified. The explanation is this. Our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Where is Esther [alluded to] in the Torah? As it is written, ‘And I will surely hide (haster astir) My face on that day.’” For the Shechinah (Divine Presence) is hidden in exile, at the level of “on that day,” the level of the hidden worlds that are not revealed.

For of the Time to Come it is written, “And it shall be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our G‑d; we hoped for Him,’” meaning that the level of hu (“that”), the hidden level, will be at the level of zeh (“this”),

which is the level of revelation, as though He were directly present; that is, the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is hidden and concealed at the level of the hidden worlds, will shine so as to be revealed in the revealed worlds.

Whereas the level of Esther, which is the level of “I will surely hide (haster aster) My face on that day,” is such that even at the level of “on that day” it is in a state of hiding and concealment, because its root is from the level of the most hidden of all hidden; and about this it is said, “Truly, You are a G‑d who hides Himself.”

Now, such a light is very great and abundant in power, so that it has no nullification like that of the radiance of the sun within the sun; for this light is not a radiance, but the luminary itself.

23And so too the halachos, which are the level of Mordechai. For “Where is Mordechai [alluded to] in the Torah? As it is written, ‘pure myrrh’ (mar dror), which we translate [into Aramaic] as mira dachya,” etc.

The meaning of mira dachya is bitterness that is in a pure place: that is, the halachos, which are the word of G‑d and whose root and source is in the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), clothed in the level of bitterness, which is the physicality, coarseness and materiality of this world, such as terumos and tithes, and even in impure things, such as creeping and crawling creatures, from which He has separated us.

24And about this it is said, “six months with oil of myrrh”: oil is the level of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), clothed in the level of bitterness: these are the halachos, which are clothed in physicality.

And this verse speaks of the entry of the soul into Gan Eden, which must be with “oil of myrrh,” as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Fortunate is he who comes here with his learning in his hand.”

25That the halachos are clothed in physicality is like the analogy of a torch, which shines to a very great distance; and likewise a full barrel, which has been filled over all its brims with great and intense abundance until it spills outside, to waste; and likewise procreation, which does not occur in a child until he is grown and the mature intellect (mochin degadlus) has entered him.

26And through this, power is added to him to beget [offspring] like himself. So too, the halachos that are clothed in physicality: that is, they have come from the light of the torch that shines far away, and from a barrel that has been filled over all its brims, with an abundance so great and intense that it spills outside.

And this is [the meaning of] “A house in which wine is poured like water is a sign of blessing,” etc. On the contrary: from this light and revelation in physicality one understands the source and root of the light, that it is at the level of the great torch.

For although, had one lit a candle in its place, it would shine more than the light that comes from the torch from afar, nevertheless, since it shines at a very great distance, it testifies about the place of the light and its source,

that it is very great and that the torch is a great one. Therefore this light and revelation in the halachos has no nullification like the nullification of the radiance of the sun.

(And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “that they bring to you pure olive oil, crushed, for the luminary (maor),” which is the level of a luminary and not merely light and radiance; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “the luminary (maor) in it”: specifically a luminary.) And likewise the Megillah of Esther: although the miracle of Purim was clothed in the way of nature, through Achashverosh,

on the contrary, from this one understands that the root of the light and revelation above is from very high levels, as in the analogy of the light of the torch, and of a barrel of wine so full that it overflows all its brims to the outside. Therefore it is written, “And these days of Purim shall not pass from among the Jews.”

27Now, in order to draw down so great a light and revelation, which has no nullification as a radiance does, Israel said at the time of the Giving of the Torah, “We will do and we will hear.” This is

the nullification of the will to the Master of the will Himself. That is the meaning of “we will do”: they were ready to do before they would hear, which is the level of ascent and the nullification of will. And afterwards “we will hear,” which is the level of the drawing down of the Torah, to hear [it].

And this is the meaning of the “royal crown” (keser malchus): for the 613 mitzvos of the Torah and the seven mitzvos of the Rabbis are, in numerical value (gematria), 620 (tarach). And these are the 620 pillars of light in Keser (the Crown), like a pillar that connects above and below.

So too, the drawing down of the Torah and the mitzvos is a drawing down from a very high place, from the very Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, to a very low place, which is this lowly, physical world.

28But both levels, the royal apparel and the royal crown, still need the level of “the horse that the king has ridden upon.” And this is so because it is written concerning the Giving of the Torah, “When You ride upon Your horses, Your chariots,” etc.

The explanation is this. Our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “[In] the first three hours of the day the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and sustains,” etc., “and at night He rides upon His swift cherub and roams through eighteen thousand worlds.”

29The explanation of these matters: our Sages, of blessed memory, instituted the eighteen blessings of prayer corresponding to the eighteen vertebrae of the spine. At first glance this is not understood.

But the explanation is this. The spine is what extends from the brain to the thighs, which are the end of the levels. Therefore in the first blessing one bows at “Blessed,” for the bowings and prostrations are a bowing of the head,

which is the drawing down of the level of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah). And afterwards, in the later blessing, one says, “We give thanks to You,” the level of acknowledgment, which is from the level of the thighs.

30Now, the souls of Israel draw down the eighteen blessings three times a day. But the time of the angels’ song is at night, for then “she gives food to her household,”

and then the level of the eighteen blessings is drawn down into the angels, and there it is divided into eighteen thousand worlds; for “The chariot of G‑d is myriads, thousands of shinan.”

[Read] “thousands that are not (she’einan)”: two thousand are lacking from the “myriads,” which is twenty thousand, so that eighteen thousand remain. And so the flow is divided in each and every level according to its grasp, in all the eighteen thousand levels.

And this flow and drawing down is at the level of “His swift cherub”; it is at the level of combinations of letters, which are called by the name “cherub.”

31Now, right after this verse, “The chariot of G‑d is myriads,” etc., it is written, “the L‑rd is among them, Sinai, in holiness.” That is to say: just as flow and revelation are drawn down through combinations of letters and drawings-down into the angels,

so it is drawn down at the level of “Sinai in holiness”: these are combinations of letters and drawings-down of the revelation of the very Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) into the very Torah that was given at Mount Sinai.

32And also after Moshe’s descent from the mountain at the end of forty days, it is written, “And they shall make Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell within them,” so that there be an actual revelation of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) in the physicality of the things with which the Mishkan was made: gold, silver and copper, curtains and beams, etc.

And this is “When You ride upon Your horses”: these drawings-down, so that there be a great revelation, are called by the name “horses,” for they are combinations of letters that are called by the name “horses.” For there are letters that are called by the name “horses,”

and there are letters that are called by the name “cherub,” for there are many kinds of letters: letters of speech, letters of intellect and letters of thought; and even in the stage that precedes intellect there is a level of letters.

33And this is the meaning of “and the horse that the king has ridden upon”: in order for there to be a revelation of the level of the royal apparel and the royal crown, it must be through the level of a horse, which is the level of combinations of letters and drawings-down, to draw down the revelation of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, below as above.

34Now, all these levels were revealed also on Purim, in the days of Mordechai, for then “the Jews accepted that which they had begun to do” at the Giving of the Torah. For at the Giving of the Torah

they said, “We will do and we will hear,” which was the level of the nullification of will; and in the days of Mordechai and Esther [there was] actual self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) for the sanctification of G‑d’s Name, for Haman wanted to kill only Jews (Yehudim).

As in the saying, “Whoever repudiates idolatry is called a Yehudi (Jew).” And therefore Mordechai is called “a Jewish man” (ish Yehudi), even though he was of the tribe of Binyamin.

And even the Kohanim and Levites of that generation are called by the name Yehudim, because they gave themselves over in self-sacrifice for the sanctification of G‑d’s Name and did not change their faith to save their lives. And because of this self-sacrifice it was merited that there be a revelation of the level of royal apparel, a royal crown, and the horse that the king has ridden upon.

35But we need to understand what is written, “And Haman took the apparel and the horse,” etc.: from where did Haman merit these levels?

Now, our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Where is Haman [alluded to] in the Torah? As it is written, ‘Is it from the tree (hamin ha-etz)…?’” etc. The explanation is this. It is written, “Amalek is the first of the nations”: for all the nations are from the level of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, and Amalek is above them.

And this is [the meaning of] “hamin ha-etz” as a question: that he is above the level of the Tree. Nevertheless, since “hamin ha-etz” is written, even in the form of a question, he has at any rate some connection to the Tree;

for otherwise, why mention him alongside the Tree? But the explanation is that he is at the level of an encompassing [aspect] (makif) to the Tree, touching and not touching; and this is the level of brazenness and arrogance.

36Now, corresponding to this there is [a level] in holiness that is also called the level of Haman, after refinement. For some of Haman’s descendants taught Torah in public.

Thus there is a level of Haman, after refinement, that is included in holiness; and this is “his heart was lifted up in the ways of G‑d,” and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, that one’s eyes should be downward and one’s heart upward. The eyes are the level of Chochmah (wisdom), “the power of mah” (koach mah), the level of Moshe, who was “more humble than any man,” the level of self-nullification (bittul).

37And the level of the heart must be upward, for there is the element of fire and of thirst, and the nature of fire is to rise and ascend upward. And a person must be composed of both.

For if he has no level of elevation at all, his heart will not venture to approach the service [of G‑d], as he says, “Who am I, and what is my service?” Therefore he needs elevation of the heart, in the longing and thirst within it.

38And also the level of eyes downward, to be at the level of actual self-nullification (bittul) to the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, through drawing down the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), “the power of mah” (koach mah), in the study of Torah, for the Torah comes forth from Chochmah; and as it is written, “and My words that I have put in your mouth,” etc.

And this is the meaning of [the teaching] that a Torah scholar must have in him an eighth of an eighth. For in the level of Chochmah there are thirty-two paths of wisdom, and lev (heart) is also thirty-two in numerical value, and the two of them together come to sixty-four.

39And an eighth of an eighth is one part of sixty-four; that is, the elevation of the heart that is joined to the mind of Chochmah (wisdom). For the main thing is Chochmah, the drawing down of the level of self-nullification (bittul),

but it needs an ascent first, at the level of elevation of the heart, in order to draw down afterwards; for if there is no ascent, there is no drawing down.

40And this elevation and ascent is the level of the exaltation of holiness, the level of Haman after refinement; and its source and root above is in supernal lights, which are the level of the garment and the horse.

For the garment is “G‑d reigns; He has clothed Himself in majesty,” at the level of majesty and exaltation. And sus (horse) is in numerical value twice Sag (63).

Whereas the level of the royal crown is specifically the level of “with the crown with which his mother crowned him,” for in the opposing side, at the level of Haman, there is none of this level at all; rather, it is the level of actual nullification of will, “we will do” before “we will hear,” etc. And this suffices for one who understands.